This invention is directed to the beverage processing arts, and more particularly to a novel and improved method of beverage processing in a controlled, closed circuit manner utilizing an accumulator, and advantageously substantially eliminating unwanted air from ingredient water.
In the beverage industry, it has been found in some instances desirable to remove extraneous gaseous matter (e.g. air and oxygen) from ingredient water used in the process. This is done to achieve improved stability of the beverage during preparation and especially during the filling process, as well as during storage prior to consumption. More particularly, during the filling process, extraneous gaseous matter and particularly air, has been found to cause excessive "foaming" of some beverage products, making accurate filling of individual containers difficult or impossible. Following the filling process, extraneous gaseous matter, particularly air and oxygen, can promote premature deterioration of the beverage within the container or package. Accordingly, scrubbing of the water utilized in beverage preparation and processing can beneficially address both of these problems.
Generally speaking, beverage processing or the preparation of beverage products involves at least two steps. Initially, a "syrup" or concentrate is formulated from selected constituents or ingredients and water. Thereafter, this beverage syrup or concentrate is mixed with additional water to form the finished beverage product of the desired concentration. During this latter mixing process, additional ingredients may be added if desired to formulate the finished beverage product. However, heretofore it has been the practice to employ scrubbing only of the water used during the latter, mixing portion of the beverage preparation process. In this regard, it has heretofore been considered ufficient to remove extraneous gas or air from only the ingredient water used during the mixing portion of the process.
We have found that increased advantages can be obtained, however, by similarly treating or scrubbing the ingredient water utilized in syrup formulation. Moreover, we have found that further improvement can be realized by scrubbing or stripping unwanted air from ingredient water to a substantially lower level than heretofore obtained.
Additionally, the prior art methods and systems have heretofore utilized a relatively large, finished product tank or reservoir for receiving the finished, mixed beverage product from the processing or mixing system and forming a supply of finished beverage product for use by the downstream filling equipment in filling individual containers. In this regard, finished product has generally been delivered to an enlarged tank from a top or uppermost inlet portion thereof and delivered from this tank or reservoir to the downstream filling equipment through a separate, bottom or lower outlet portion thereof. Accordingly, a relatively large amount of finished product may be in the finished product reservoir or in circuit through the processing system at any given time.
However, it is relatively difficult to stop or shut down such a system when necessary, when such a large amount of product is in process at any given time. Such shutdown may be necessitated by malfunction of downstream filling equipment, by changeover to filling of a different beverage or to filling of different containers, or by periodic maintenance and/or cleaning procedures.
A related problem is that of obtaining adequate control of the beverage ingredients throughout the processing system to generally match the demand for ingredients at various points within the system itself, as well as to match the downstream demand for finished product. It is also desirable in connection with achieving such control to substantially minimize the amount of ingredients and finished product in transit throughout the system at any given time, to further facilitate relatively rapid shutdown of the system when desired. Moreover, such improved control of product flow and quantity throughout the system also greatly facilitates rapid response of the system to changes in the demand for ingredients both within the components of the system and by the downstream filling equipment.